Gastric carcinoma is the second most common cause of cancer death world-wide. Approximately 875,000 patients are diagnosed world-wide with gastric cancer each year. Gastric cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage1. At diagnosis, while some patients have gastric carcinoma that extends within loco-regional confines and can undergo a curative resection, many patients cannot undergo curative resection. Gastric cancer continues to pose a major medical challenge.